MINGLED FEELINGS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIX, Issue 63, 14 March 1940, Page 11

MINGLED FEELINGS

FINNISH PEOPLE

NEWS HEARD FROM ABROAD

NO SCENES OF JOY

SOLDIERS ASTOUNDED

(By Telegraph—Preiss Association.—Copyright.) (Received March 14, 10.50 a.m.)

HELSINKI, March 13

Mingled joy, dejection, and bitterness marked the reaction of the Finnish people at the termination of the war—joy over the cessation of the struggle, dejection at the humiliating terms imposed on a small country fighting for its independence, and bitterness because it was believed that the surrender was partly due to the vacillation and selfishness of the more powerful democracies.

Flags on all public buildings were flown at half-mast immediately M. Tanner had revealed that the pact had been signed. There were no celebrations or scenes of joy.

Groups of people stood in the streets this morning eagerly discussing the spate of rumours. They were obliged to depend on foreign broadcasts for

the news that their country had surrendered. The public were even unaware that Parliament was meeting. When the High Command ordered the soldiers to lay, down their arms at 11 a.m. it told the civilians nothing. The Finnish radio strangely omitted the usual news bulletin, and gave the people music.

The delay in the revelation that peace had been signed and an armistice arranged astounded the Finnish troops, who had been in the front lines for months. They had fought themselves almost to a standstill, and the order to cease fire meant for thousands of them an opportunity for sleep, which the struggle against overwhelming forces had long denied them, but the majority of Finland's warriors reacted sullenly to the news that their sacrifices were without result.